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Trenton Thunder Report: Thunder Continue Second Half with Series vs. State College

July 19, 2023

With the calendar soon to flip to August, the Trenton Thunder find themselves in prime contention to capture a spot in the MLB Draft League championship. Their quest continued Tuesday as they began a three-game series against the State College Spikes at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. However, the Thunder did not get the start to the series that they hoped for as they dropped the opening game in front of the home fans by a final score of 14-3.

The pitching matchup for Tuesday was good as the Thunder would send Indiana State righty Lane Miller to the mound to face Marshall righty Louis Davenport. Miller would quickly find himself in a two out, two- on jam and would allow the first runs of the game on a triple off the bat of Sam Houston State product Carlos Contreras. Things would not get much better, as fielding errors and misplayed balls would put the Trenton Thunder down 4-0 early in the game.

The Thunder would cut the deficit in half thanks in no small part to the bat of Dan Covino as he launched a ball over the right field fence to score Joe Impeduglia, but the Spikes would get those two runs right back in the top of the third inning with a home run of their own courtesy of Liberty University outfielder Logan Mathieu. Braedon Blackford would do the same in the fourth to answer a Kolby Johnson homer from the previous half-inning to make it 8-3 Spikes and chase Miller from the game after pitching just three and a third innings, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits, punching out two and walking one.

A John Leslie homer in the top of the fifth inning made it 9-3 Spikes and from there it was all Spikes as their bullpen would hold the Thunder scoreless through five and a third innings to help give Davenport his first win of the season. Davenport pitched three and two thirds innings, allowing three runs (all earned) on three hits, struck out three and walked two.

The Road Ahead

The Thunder will be back at it against these same State College Spikes Wednesday and Thursday right back at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. Wednesday's game has a special start time of 11 AM, while Thursday's game is set for a 7 PM first pitch.